Emily Burkhardt Vicente , left, and J. Drei Munar, right, of Hunton Andrews Kurth. Courtesy Photos.
California employers have struggled throughout the pandemic to balance safe workplaces and employee welfare with rising business costs, particularly given the impacts of the state and local shutdown orders. California’s recently enacted COVID sick leave law will add to those challenges. Retroactive to Jan. 1, certain employers must provide COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave to their California employees under Senate Bill 95. The new sick leave entitlement extends until Sept. 30.
Who Is Covered by Supplemental Paid Sick Leave?
SB 95 covers all employers with more than 25 employees. Unlike California’s prior COVID-19 sick leave law (Assembly Bill 1867), coverage under SB 95 is no longer limited to employees who were required to leave their homes to perform in-person work for an employer. Under the new law, coverage now extends to teleworkers as well.
